NBA Rumors: Kevin Durant talks about strained relationship with Russell Westbrook; Being the ‘most hated’ in the NBA

Kevin Durant admitted in a recent interview that he does not see his relationship with Russell Westbrook to be “the same again.”

The former OKC superstar who joined the Golden State Warriors this summer said that he hopes his former teammate understand his decision in free agency.

“I just told him, I let him know how I felt. And you obviously, our relationship probably won’t ever be the same again, but it’s something I wanted to do and I expressed that to him. Hopefully, he respected it,” Durant said via sina.com.

Durant’s decision not only affected his own free agency as there are NBA rumors that Westbrook will also leave OKC when he becomes a free agent next offseason. There are also speculations that OKC will trade Westbrook this summer so they can get something back rather than lose him for nothing in 2017.

Durant also added that he understands that NBA fans will criticize his move to Golden State.

“Yes, it is indeed difficult. I’m not too concerned about them. I will slowly adapt to all of this. Obviously, we [they] not like me, this is not what I can control,” Durant stated when asked about his new “villain” role in the NBA.

“I will continue to focus on what they should do when the alarm rings to wake up at 9:00, then [go] to train to the game. I would not worry too much about the opinions of others, that they should be ignored [and] to ignore it.”

Durant’s decision to join the Warriors is similar to what Lebron James did in 2010 in the hyped “The Decision” TV show where LeBron announced that he was leaving Cleveland Cavaliers to join the Miami Heat. LeBron James was hated by NBA fans at that time and now it’s the turn of Kevin Durant.